More Surprises in Spa – Williams’ Qualifying and Rossi Waits

Williams did not get as high as they were likely thinking as a wet Qualy ends in Spa. P6 and P9 today as Bottas goes just that much faster than Massa. We will see where they end up in the race as Nico Rosberg was smooth and fast on his Pirelli Inters.

I have to say it was nice to hear a slight lift from the drivers climbing up Eau Rouge and going wide (or just off) over the curbs. Questions to be answered: will it continue to rain in Spa? Who is going to be able to control their aggression as they push in the race on Sunday? And can Williams fulfill their vision of challenging Mercedes for the win? We’ll see where Alonso can take the Ferrari from P4 as he fights to pass Vettel just ahead of him.

Rossi Gets the Keys Taken Away – Shows Class

A Huge Letdown for Rossi Allowed Him to Show His Class and Maturity – from Google images

Alexander Rossi showed why he is even more deserving than ever of an F1 race seat after his post-FP1 letdown.

Picture this…you’re 16 and about to grab the keys to the just-washed, perfectly polished muscle car that your dad and grandfather have been telling you stories about. About how it’s been restored to perfection, engine bored and stroked, ports polished, and it’s never driven better. You’ve waited for this moment for what seems to be like your entire life – told all your friends (and a few girls) that you were going to be stopping by in it to show it off, and maybe, if you’re brave enough, rev the engine and dump the clutch to show them all your skills. You can almost smell the rubber burning and hear all your friends shouting and high-fiving when…….BAM!

You feel the heat from your dad’s breath while he’s screaming at you to get outside and park it in the garage so your cousin can come pick it up. Turns out your wealthy uncle has decided to pay whatever it took to convince your dad to sell it.

At some level, I have to imagine Alexander Rossi felt his head literally explode with disappointment after being so close to driving in his first Grand Prix this weekend in Spa. As we all now know, Max Chilton has been handed back the race seat for the Belgian GP. And how could this have not been the best track, other than Circuit of the Americas, of course, for him to have made his F1 debut?

I don’t know how Alexander Rossi kept it together in front of his team and the media after what had to be the most gigantic letdown since his arrival at the F1 level, most certainly since arriving at Marussia F1. Yet, he did just that – kept his cool, and showed that at 22 years old, he is intelligent and can be cool-headed when it counts.

Sounds like skills he’s going to need when he does, and he will, get an F1 race seat. With a racing CV like his, although I’m new to following him since arriving at Marussia, I’m confident Alexander Rossi is showing the F1 paddock and fans that he is mature – a real class act.

Sorry dad took the keys away today, Alexander, but your time is coming!